Bayonne High School student Jan-Alfred Aquino and Mervy Michael of Union City High School were recognized last week as the two top winners of The Jersey Journal’s 54th Annual Hudson County Science Fair at an awards ceremony at St. Peter’s College’s Dinneen Hall in Jersey City.

They will represent Hudson County in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh, Pa., May 13 to 18.

The two were selected from the 19 high school gold medal winners who competed in the fair, which was held this year in March at Liberty Science Center in Jersey City.

Some 74 medal winners of the 200 competitors who entered the fair were announced to a large crowd of families, friends, teachers and students.

“I am really excited to be able to compete” at the Intel Fair said junior Jan-Alfred, 17. “I was kind of surprised at first, but now I am excited to go.”

In his winning research project, Jan-Alfred explores the use of an extract from green tea as an antibiotic.

“He is quiet, driven and very curious and welcomes challenge,” said his molecular biology teacher, Holly Levin. “He is fearless. Nothing troubles him.”

An 18-year-old senior at the Academy for Enrichment and Advancement at Union City High School, Mervy was determined in her project to demonstrate how water can be purified using a low-energy, portable machine.

She believes her device could someday be used by to convert the sweat of astronauts into drinking water inside their space suits.

“The main focus of my project is to make this set-up portable and feasible and efficient,” Mervy said.

“Mervy is just a stellar student,” said Union City High School Principal John Bennetti. “This project is just typical of the kind of work that she does as a scholar and academic phenomenon. She makes us very proud.”

Bennetti credited science supervisor Nadia Makar for the high school picking up a total of 25 medals and special awards, including seven gold medals.

The Jersey Journal’s Hudson County Science Fair is sponsored by Liberty Science Center, Fidelity Investments, Comcast, PSE&G, New Jersey City University and St. Peter’s College.

“Once again The Jersey Journal is very, very proud to host the Hudson County Science Fair,” Kendrick Ross, publisher of The Jersey Journal, said last night.

“The work the children do is amazing and that is what inspires us, and all of our sponsors, to keep this event going year after year. It is encouraging to see our future young scientists put so much heart into their work and so much time on these projects.”